Endorsement: Fred Hubbell will move Iowa forward

As the midterm election approaches, the candidates for governor have been meeting constituents along the campaign trail hoping to gain support.

The race is down to two candidates: incumbent Gov. Kim Reynolds and Fred Hubbell.

Fred Hubbell is a businessman. He has never held elected office and he built his campaign around proving his worth, even amidst many attack ads. He may not have any political experience, but he is the most qualified candidate for the job.

The Simpsonian Editorial Board endorses Fred Hubbell as the best candidate to move Iowa forward.

Hubbell offers a very different future for the state than the continued Branstad policies and vision of Gov. Kim Reynolds consisting of smaller government and more tax cuts.

Hubbell would offer a governorship focused on putting Iowans first by increasing education funding and reducing tax cuts for large corporations.

Hubbell was the chair of the board of trustees at Simpson College for six years. He and his wife, Charlotte, gave millions of dollars to Simpson to build the Kent Campus Center, and in return, Hubbell Hall was named after them.

Hubbell’s main priority is education and increasing education funding for all levels. Reynolds reduced funding for the Regents universities and increased K-12 spending by only 1 percent. This means students will receive less financial aid and K-12 teachers will have less resources for their classrooms.

Hubbell believes politics should be taken out of education. He would work the Regents schools and community colleges to stabilize tuition. He also supports the Iowa Tuition Grant, which provides state aid to private college students. He also wants to create a jobs training program to work with employers to create partnerships with all high schools and community colleges so students can learn important job skills.

Hubbell is a Des Moines entrepreneur who has led large businesses and promoted renewable energy and economic growth. He began working for Equitable of Iowa Companies and eventually became the chairman of Younkers.

Hubbell also prioritizes job creation and economic development. He will work to end the tax giveaways for big corporations and help raise incomes. He favors raising the minimum wage. Hubbell was the director of Economic Development where he prioritized investing state funding in projects that would benefit many Iowans. Hubbell will work to make sure Iowans have access to jobs and higher incomes.

The Simpsonian endorses Hubbell because he shows the most potential to move the state forward and improve the lives of Iowans.